Re: John Offley, Mable ?

Dorchester County, Maryland The pedigree of Robert Offley of Gracechurch Street (STA F) can be considerably extended by reference to the family records and correspondence of the late Colon& Edward M. Offley of Maryland

A start has been made in revising the Offley of Stafford pedigree by forming a new section, Fl0, commencing with John Offley (presently at F 11.3), who was baptised in 1593 Two of Johns sons, John and Henry settled in Virginia and Maryland respectively, and it is the latter John's line that is now under scrutiny.

John baptised in 1638, had two children by his wife, Mabel, named John and Barbara and the family emigrated to Maryland in 1673. John Offley junior married Dorothy .,..,,.,~ who married again after her husband's death in 1709. In 1724, she and her second husband, Robert Hollingworth, transferred. a tract of land of 334 acres to “our nephews'.' John Collins and Robert Offley. John Collins was her sister-in-law Barbara's son by her husband Thomas Collins - but who was Robert Offley?

The pedigree provided by John Brockenbrough Offley.,, as compiled from his grandfather's papers, assumes that Robert was the son of another brother-in-¬law of Dorothy, but I am not sure that this assumption is correct. The unnamed brother-in-law allegedly had two sons, Edward and Robert, who were “sent from England to John Offley of Dorchester County, Maryland, in I680". It appears that John and Dorothy had no children and my suggestion is that, after settling in Maryland for seven years, they sent home for someone to inherit the considerable tracts of land which they then owned.

Looking at two Offleys that could have been “sent from England", Edward at STA F.II.4.(2) could be a possible candidate, as “nephew" was subject to a wider interpretation in the 17th Century than now. But who was Robert?

Unti1 the question of the parentage of Edward and Robert is solved, it is difficult to complete the pedigree of this branch of the Stafford family, which continues at least to the late l9th Century or early 2Oth Century.

The relevant part of the pedigree supplied by John Brockenbrough is as follows -

DESCENDANTS OF JOHN OFFLEY OF DORCHESTER COUNTY MARYLAND I. John Offley of Dorchester County Maryland. believed to have been the son of John Gracechurch Offley and Elizabeth Moore Offley of London he was baptised at St Benet’s Church, Street of that city on 15August, 1638. He emigrated to Maryand in 1673 and was later a Gentleman Justice for Dorchester County in 1676. His brother Henry Offley,was baptised at St. Benet’s Church. Gracechurch Street on 1 November. 1640 and later emigrated to Virginia where he settled in Lower Norfolk County, He died there in I678 and his will was proved on the 16 of August of that same year it is believed that Henry Offley was the source by which Norfolk County (Virginia) Deed Book Number 4 (1675) was inscribed in the account book of their father John Offley, of London. This account book contains entries dated from 25 November 1619 to l7 March, I624 and is considered to be the oldest record and o1dest paper so far found in Virginia, (See:Virginia Magazine of History and Biography vol 5.0. no. I January 1942). John Offley of Marland died in1685. He married Mabel~ had emigrated with him in 1673. and was described as very old and sickly' in l687. John Offley and Mabel Offley had 1. John Offley, Jnr.. emigrated to Maryland with his parents in 1673 In 1696 he was serving as a military officer in Kent County Maryland John Offley Jnr. married Dorothy ..., He died in 17()9, and the administration of his estate indicates that they had no children He left a tract called “Offley’s Delight” to his nephew John Collins “Offley’s Delight" encompassed 200) acres, and was situated at the head of the Chester River in Queen Anne's County. Maryland John Offley, Jnr also left a 200 acre tract on Anderson's Branch to John Devige bv his will which was dated 16 March, 1708 Dorothy Qffley married Sec¬ondly. Robert Hollingsworth, In 1724, they transferred a 336 acre tract of land to 'our nephews" John Collins and Robert Offley. This tract. called "Offley's Fortune" was located on the south side of the Chester River in Queen Anne's County, Maryland 2 Barbara Offley, emigrated to Marland with her parents in 1673 She married Thomas Collins of Kent County', Maryland was will was dated 1698. Thomas Collins and Barbara Offley Collins had: John Collins, married Roberts in 1736, he and his wife deeded land in Queen Anne's County, Maryland to Robert Offley. 2 Catherine Collins. 3 Mabel Collins. 4 Barbara Collins Offley

11 Offley, assumed to be the brother of John Offley, Jnr., whose widow, Dorothy Offley. deeded land to her nephews" John Collins and Robert Offley in 1724 Offley married .... They had..

1 .Edward Offley, Sent from England to John Offley of Dorchester County, Maryland. in 1680. No records have been found which record his marriage or children. Hc probably died sometime before 1709 . 2 Robert Offley (Ill) Ill Robert Offley, sent from England to John Offley of Dorchester County, Maryland, in 1680. He married …. They had: 1. Robert Offley(IV)